1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus for remote control of the operation of a television receiver and a video tape recorder and, more particularly, is directed to apparatus to control the operation of a television receiver and a video tape recorder using a single wireless remote control unit.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the use of a video tape recorder, according to the prior art, a conventional receiver must be connected by cables or wires to the video tape recorder in order to display the reproduced signals. The video tape recorder has connected to it the television antenna or leased video cable line, which provide the video programming source to be recorded. The television receiver is usually connected to the antenna or cable through the video tape recorder, so that the television receiver can receive and display programs independently of the video tape recorder.
The video tape recorder typically has its own twelve channel tuner and a selector switch that permits recording of one television channel signal, while passing a different television channel signal to the television receiver for viewing. When displaying recorded program material from the video tape recorder, the reproduced signal is modulated up to a high frequency of a standard television channel that has been selected beforehand, the channel selector of the television receiver is tuned to that channel, and the reproduced signal is processed and displayed in the conventional fashion. The channel that is selected for the high frequency modulation of the reproduced video signal, and to which the channel selector of the television receiver is set, is one that is a "dead" channel in that particular locale. That is, in order to avoid inter-channel interference a blank or unused channel is usually provided between the assigned television broadcast channels. The channel selector is set to one of these dead channels to receive the reproduced video from the video tape recorder. In the United States either channel 2 or 3 is selected as the dead channel, and in some foreign countries either channel 1 or 2 is selected. The high-frequency modulator of the video tape recorder usually can be selected to modulate the reproduced video signal to a high frequency corresponding to both of these two dead channels.
In some television receivers switched connections are provided that permit the video signals received at the video tape recorder to be tuned to a desired channel using the video tape recorder tuner, then by-pass the tuner of the television receiver, and have the tuned video signal processed and displayed by the television receiver in the normal manner.
It is also known, according to the prior art, to use a remote control unit to control the operation of a television receiver. Similarly, remote control units are known to control the video tape recorders. These remote control units are frequently termed remote commanders. Early remote control units were connected by a cable to the unit under control, however, more recent units are wireless and transmit signals, such as infrared signals or ultrasonic signals. The remote control unit associated with a television receiver can usually select channels, raise or lower the audio volume, mute the audio, and turn the power to the receiver on or off. Similarly, the remote control unit associated with the video tape recorder can usually select a channel in the tuner, operate the various controls associated with a tape recorder, such as record, play, and rewind, and turn the power to the video tape recorder on or off.
The video tape recorder and the television receiver are electrically interconnected so as to permit them to function in all modes, and at least two or three individual selector switches must be operated in order to set both units in the proper state for the particularly desired operating mode. Manual operation of these switches is very commonplace, but the use of remote control units has become more and more popular. Thus, for remote control of a video tape recorder and its associated television receiver it is necessary to use two individual hand-held remote control units, each having its full complement of controls, and each operating independently. The use of two individual hand-held remote control units is very inconvenient, requiring the manipulation of two sets of controls arranged on two separate individual units. Not only is handling the two units unwieldy but using all the various switches becomes complicated to the point where the average consumer simply chooses not to use both individual remote control units.